Finding translators for mission projects

It is hard to find a good balance between host church and
sending church partners. Typically the
sending church inadvertently fosters dependency. In a three year partnership relationship, the

sending church can so shower the host church with resources that it actually
harms the spiritual health of the host church and demonstrates poor stewardship
over its resources.

Wherever there is an opportunity to bring some balance to
the relationship by allowing the host church the dignity of bringing resources
to the partnership, it is a good thing.
One example of this is the recruitment of translators.

If an American church is going to provide a host pastor with
free labor for a week or more, that is a blessing to the host church that needs
a counter-balancing investment. Some
churches attempt to prepare lunch for the groups, others give them gifts. At AIM, we have developed the practice of hiring
translators for its projects. This
ensures continuity of effort and is efficient.
However, a more balanced approach would require the host church to
provide translators for the project.

By requiring that the host church provide translators, we transfer
this onerous logistical detail to the ones who will get the greatest benefit
from it – the host church. Short-term
mission staff may help them identify where they can find these translators, but
they should ask that the host church arrange one translator for every six
people if your team is going to do an outreach campaign with them.